Pages

Friday, August 26, 2011

Lancome "Parisian Sultry" Eye Look Set

After going shopping for eyeshadow with my friend last week, I became interested in the Lancome Color Design Shadow and Liner Palettes. So many colors to choose from! My friend, who is considerably darker than I am, looked just wonderful in Bronze Amour. After a little bit of thought, I decided that I wanted Coral Crush, which as it turned out, is being sold by Nordstrom in a set with an eye base, eyeliner, mascara and a little makeup bag, all for the price of the palette alone. Macy's has a gift with purchase right now but I think that the Nordstrom set (a $102 value) is gift enough for me.

I'm really happy with the smoothness of the eyeshadows. They're buttery and well-pigmented. When I first opened the palette, I was a bit surprised by how shimmery everything looked. In the light, you'll see quite a bit of sparkle. But I find that when applied, they're not scary shimmery at all. I do wish that they had put in a variety of finishes though. One matte shade would have made all the difference.

Although each pan is labelled with its particular use, I find that experimentation often yields better results. That is, you don't need to use each and every shade every time, and you don't need to follow the labels. Personally, I'd use maybe 2 or 3 of these shades at a time and pick a couple of mattes to complement: one for contouring and another for highlighting, only so that the shimmer doesn't become overwhelming. I'm loving the dark brown liner shade (wet or dry) and the shimmery taupe highlighter. The coral is peachy, which I love for now. I'll probably use those three colors the most.

The base makes the color adhere very nicely. I was a little worried that it was orangey but when paired with the eyeshadows, it turned out to be quite the neutral. And if you'll notice, for a palette named Coral Crush, there is but one coral-ly shade. Maybe the base qualifies (haha).

But in all seriousness, this is a good value. The eye pencil is full-size. (Review pending.) The eye base is a sample size but I tend to use those sparingly so .08 oz. will last awhile. If you like it, you can always get yourself the full-sized one later. I've tried this mascara before. (See my quick take here.) It's a one-swipe kind of thing. The bag is a useful size. It's small enough to fit in the purse, with room to spare after you've put everything in it. Toss in your powder, blush and lipstick and you're good to go. Oh, and don't forget your brushes!

UPDATE 9/15/2011: Nordstrom has a triple points event for cardholders right now and Lancome has a gift with purchase with them. I think that this set qualifies for the free gift. However, it seems to be out of stock online now. If your store no longer carries the set, the eyeshadow palettes are still worth a look.
﻿